Teams in pursuit of their past glory, new rich, and young wolves with long teeth, the table of the quarter-finals of the Confederation Cup is very open. And it is not the contenders for the final victory who are missing among the eight teams from eight different countries.
You have to go back to the 2005 edition to see the name of a former winner (Far Rabat) of the Confederation Cup among the last eight teams contending for the final victory. This demonstrates once again that the more publicized, more profitable Champions League remains the queen of African club competitions. While waiting for the “revolution” with the launch of the Super League in September, the old CFA Cup continues to be the showcase for teams trying to recompose their past and new ones who want to embody the future.
Far Rabat therefore looks a bit like the favorite for the final victory, reinforced by its past as a winner and its dynamic in the Moroccan championship, where it is the leader ahead of Wydad and Fus Rabat. Moroccans go to Algeria to challenge Usma there.
Pyramids and Ambitious Young Africans
More than Far, Asec Mimosas is looking for its former glory in Africa. Winners of the Champions League in 1998, the Ivorians have the ambition to lift another continental trophy. Especially since they remain more than ever the bosses of the Ivorian Ligue 1 with 28 league titles (a record) and a current leadership position. Asec will travel to Tunisia for its quarter-final first leg against Us Monastir, one of the oldest clubs in Tunisia, but which has never won the national championship and never shone in African cups.
Behind Far and Asec, Pyramids FC and Youngs Africa have great ambitions. The Egyptian club, built with millions, and which only joined the local championship in 2017, wants to emerge from the shadow of the historic Al Ahly and Zamalek. Defeated in the Confederation Cup final in 2020 by RS Berkane (0-1), the Egyptians finished behind Far in a group match and will challenge the South Africans of Marumo Gallants who are very similar to them. The Polokwane formation was indeed founded in 2021, but evolved directly into the first division since it had taken over the license from TTM-FC. They qualified for the Confederation Cup after losing the South African Cup final to Mamelodi Sundowns, who also won the championship.
Currently 13th in the South African Premier Division, Marumo Gallants finished top of his group ahead of Usm Alger.
The last quarter-final will oppose the Tanzanians of Youngs Africa to the Nigerians of Rivers United. The former were transferred from the Champions League after their elimination in the round of 16. They dominated their pool ahead of teams like Real Bamako or TP Mazembe. Opposite, Rivers United, champions of Nigeria for the first time in 2022, do not leave with the favor of the forecasts. Even if his resounding victory in chicken against Asec (3-0) constitutes a beautiful line on his African CV.
The shift schedule:
Sunday, April 23 (Universal Time)
1pm Rivers Utd (Nigeria) -Young Africans (Tanzania)
4 p.m. Pyramids (Egypt) – Marumo Gallants (South Africa)
4 p.m. US Monastir (Tunisia) – ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast)
7 p.m. USM Alger (Algeria) – FAR Rabat (Morocco)
Confederation Cup: schedule and results for the 2022-2023 edition